Percival \p(e)-rci-val, per-cival\ as a boy's name is of Old French origin, and the meaning of Percival is "pierce the vale". Invented by a medieval poet in the 12th century for one of King Arthur's knights. His virtue was so great that he alone could retrieve the elusive Holy Grail, the chalice from Christ's Last Supper. Wagner's opera Parsifal is based on this knight's tale.

Percival has 10 variant forms: Parsafal, Parsefal, Parsifal, Perce, Perceval, Percevall, Percey, Percivall, Percy and Purcell.